The Atlanta Falcons are a powerhouse of youthful talent, a sight to behold on both sides of the football. The team boasts a plethora of extremely talented young players at the skill positions, a fact not lost on ESPN’s Aaron Schatz.
He ranks head coach Raheem Morris’s team fourth on the outlet’s ranking for best cores under 25 years old.
"We hear a lot about the Falcons' skill position talent, and those players are still very young," Schatz wrote on ESPN+. "Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts all came into the league at age 21; Robinson is just 22 now, and London and Pitts are 23. Robinson played a key role for the Falcons as a rookie. He had 976 rushing yards on 214 carries and 487 receiving yards on 58 receptions. London has 1,771 receiving yards in two seasons, and Pitts has 2,049 receiving yards in three NFL seasons."
The Falcons players are even younger than Schatz gave them credit for. Typically, a player's age is described as how old he is when the season is over. However, Drake London is still 22-years old (birthday July 24th) and Kyle Pitts was 20 when he played his first-four games as a Falcon (birthday October 6th).
The Falcons' success in drafting young-star talent in recent years has been a key factor in their rise on this list, with one of the main X-factors being second-year running back Bijan Robinson.
This trend continued this year, with the team selecting Washington’s Michael Penix eighth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, as Schatz noted.
“No. 8 overall pick Penix is old for a rookie quarterback (he turned 24 in May) and may not play for a year or two. But as far as this ranking is concerned, the Falcons still have a top-10 quarterback prospect under 25.”
In addition to Penix, a few of Atlanta’s second-year players caught Schatz's eye as noteworthy players with budding potential.
“The Falcons also have youth at left guard with Matthew Bergeron (24) and at defensive end with Zach Harrison (23). Second-round rookie defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro is 22, as is second-year starting cornerback Clark Phillips III.”
As training camp nears, this team will look remarkably different than it has in years past. The group has gotten younger and faster at numerous position groups. Owner Arthur Blank’s organization's future is now, and the younger players, who are typically the ones looking up to veterans, will be the deciding factors in the team’s overall success in 2024.
